Rice farmers decry insecurity in Borno

“This year, no farmer has been able to cultivate during the dry season due to the insecurity”

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The Maisandari Rice Farmers Association in Borno said that Boko Haram insurgency has forced its members to abandon farming this year.

The chairman of the association, Garba Ibrahim, stated this in an interview in Maisandari, Jere Local Government Area of the state, on Sunday.

“We are an association of big term rice farmers comprising about 200 members.
“Each of us used to produce between 50 and 200 bags of rice per year,” he said.

He said that the production had witnessed some decline due to the insurgency in the state.

“We have witnessed steady decline in production in the last two years due to the insurgency.

“Last year, most of our members were not able to produce for fear of attacks in the farm by suspected insurgents.”

Mr. Ibrahim said that the situation became worse this year as most of the farmers abandoned dry season farming due to insecurity.

“This year, no farmer has been able to cultivate during the dry season due to the insecurity.

“Although the state government has provided imported rice mills to our members in anticipation of massive production, insecurity had made it impossible for us to cultivate.”

He appealed to the Federal Government to intensify its efforts in tackling the Boko Haram insurgency so that the farmers could go back to the farm.(NAN)